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FROM THE SILENT WOMAN.

XXXIX.

STILL to be neat, still to be drest,
As you were going to a feast;
Still to be powdered, still perfum'd:
Lady, it is to be presum'd,

Though art's hid causes are not found,
All is not sweet, all is not sound.
Give me a look, give me a face,
hat makes simplicity a grace;
Robes loosely flowing, hair as free:
uch sweet neglect more taketh me,
han all th' adulteries of art;

They strike mine eyes, but not my heart.

IN THE DEVIL IS AN ASS.

XL.

to but look on her eyes! they do light
All that love's world comprizeth:
to but look on her hair! it is bright
As love's star when it riseth!

but mark, her forehead's smoother

han words that sooth her!

nd from her arch'd brows such a grace

aeds itself through the face;

s alone there triumphs to the life,

ll the gain, all the good, of the elements' strife.

ave you seen but a bright lily grow,
Before rude hands have touch'd it?
ave you mark'd but the fall of the snow,
Before the soul hath smutch'd it?
lave you felt the wool of the beaver?
ir swan's-down ever?

r have smelt o' the bud of the brier?

r the nard i' the fire?

Or have tasted the bag of the bee?

)! so white! O, so soft! O, so sweet is she.

MISCELLANEOUS PIECES.

That cannot keep what they do gaine;
And what they raise so ill sustaine !
Rome now is mistris of the whole
World, sea, and land, to either pole;
And even that fortune will destroy
The power that made it: she doth joy
So much in plenty, wealth, and ease,
As now th' excesse is her disease.

She builds in gold; and to the starres;
As if she threatned Heav'n with warres:
And seeks for Hell, in quarries deep,
Giving the fiends, that there do keep,
A hope of day. Her women weare
The spoiles of nations in an eare,
Chang'd for the treasure of a shell!
And in their loose attires do swell
More light than sailes when all winds play:
Yet are the men more loose than they!

More kemb'd, and bath'd, and rub'd, and trim'd,
More sleek'd, more soft, and slacker limm'd;
As prostitute: so much, that kinde
May seek it selfe there, and not finde.
They eat on beds of silk and gold;
At ivory tables; or wood sold
Dearer than it and leaving plate,
Do drink in stone of higher rate.
They hunt all grounds; and draw all seas;
Foule every brook and bush, to please
Their wanton tasts: and in request
Have new and rare things; not the best!

Hence comes that wild and vast expence,
That hath enforc'd Rome's vertue thence,
Which simple poverty first made:
And now ambition doth invade
Her state with eating avarice,
Riot, and every other vice.

Decrees are bought, and lawes are sold,
Honours, and offices for gold;
The people's voyces, and the free
Tongues in the senate bribed be.
Such ruine of her manners Rome
Doth suffer now, as she 's become
(Without the gods it scone gaine-say)
Both her own spoiler and own prey.

So, Asia, 'art thou cru'lly even
With us, for all the blows thee given;
When we whose vertue conquer'd thre,
Thus by thy vices ruin'd be.

CHORUSES.

FROM THE TRAGEDY OF CATALINE.

J.

CAN nothing great, and at the height
Remaine so long? but its own weight
Will ruine it? or, is 't blind chance,
That still desires new states t' advance,
And quit the old? else, why must Rome
Be by itselfe now over-come?
Hath she not foes inow of those,
Whom she hath made such, and enclose
Her round about? or are they none,
Except she first become her own?
O wretchednesse of greatest states,
To be obnoxious to these fates:
VOL. V.

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GREAT father Mars, and greater Jove,
By whose high auspice Rome hath stood
So long; and first was built in blood
Of your great nephew, that then strove
Not with his brother, but your rites:
Be present to her now, as then,
And let not proud and factious men*
Against your wills oppose their mights.

Our consuls now are to be made;
O, put it in the publick voice
To make a free and worthy choice:
Excluding such as would invade
The common-wealth. Let whom we name,
Have wisdome, fore-sight, fortitude,

Be more with faith, than face endu❜d,
And studie conscience above fame.

M m

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That by their deeds will make it knowne,
Whose dignitie they doe sustaine;
And life, state, glory, all they gaine,
Count the republique's not their owne.
Such the old Bruti, Decii were,

The Cipi, Curtii, who did give

Themselves for Rome: and would not live

As men, good only for a yeare.

Such were the great Camilli too;

The Fabii, Scipios; that still thought No worke, at price enough, was brought, That for their countrey they could doe. And to her honour did so knit,

As all their acts were understood The sinewes of the publick good: And they themselves one soule with it. These men were truely magistrates;

These neither practis'd force nor formes: Nor did they leave the helme in stormes! And such they are make happie states.

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Wherein the thought, unlike the eye,

To which things far seeme smaller than they are, Deemes all contentment plac'd on high:

And thinks there's nothing great but what is far.

O, that in time, Rome did not cast
Her errours up, this fortune to prevent;
T' have seene her crimes ere they were past:
And felt her faults before her punishment.

IV.

Now, do our eares, before our eyes, Like men in mist,

Discover, who'ld the state surprize, And who resist ?

And as these clouds do yeeld to light,
Now do we see,

Our thoughts of things, how they did fight,
Which seem'd t' agree?

Of what strange pieces are we made,
Who nothing know;

But as new ayrs our cares invade,
Still censure so?

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O, let us pluck this evill seed Out of our spirits;

And give to every noble deed, The name it merits.

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Helpe, youths and virgins, help to sing
The prize which Hymen bere doth bring,
And did so lately rap

From forth the mother's lap2,
To place her by that side
Where she must long abide.
On Hymen, Hymen call,
This night is Hymen's all:

See Hesperus is yet in view!
What star can so deserve of you?
Whose light doth still adorne
Your bride, that ere the morne,
Shall far more perfect be,
And rise as bright as he;
When (like to him) her name
Is chang'd', but not her flame.

Haste, tender lady, and adventer;
The covetous house would have you enter,

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That he might wealthy be, And you her mistris see*: Haste your own good to meet; And lift your golden feet Above the threshold high", With prosperous augury.

Now, youths, let go your pretty armes ;
The place within chants other charmes.
Whole showers of roses flow;

And violets seeme to grow,
Strew'd in the chamber there,
As Venus meade it were.
On Hymen, Hymen call,
This night is Hymen's all.

Good matrons, that so well are known
To aged husbands of your own,
Place you our bride to night;
And snatch away the light":
That she not hide it dead
Beneath her spouse's bed;
Nor he reserve the same
To helpe the funerall flame.

So now you may admit him in ;
The act he covets is no sin,

But chaste and holy love,
Which Hymen doth approve:
Without whose hallowing fires
All aymes are base desires.
On Hymen, Hymen call,
This night is Hymen's all.

Now free from vulgar spight or noise,
May you enjoy your mutual joyes;
Now you no feare controules,
But lips may mingle soules;
And soft embraces bind,
To each the other's mind:
Which may no power untie,
Till one or both must die.

And look before you yeeld to slumber,
That your delights be drawn past number;
"Joyes, got with strife, increase."
Affect no sleepy peace;

But keep the bride's faire eyes
Awake with her owne cryes,
Which are but mayden-feares:
And kisses dry such teares.

4 At the entrance of the bride, the custome was to give her the keyes, to signifie that she was absolute mistris of the place, and the whole disposition of the family at her care. Fest.

5 This was also another rite: that she might not touch the threshold as she entred, but was lifted over it. Servius saith, because it was sacred to Vesta. Plut. in Quæst. Rom. remembers divers causes. But that, which I take to come neerest the truth, was only the avoyding of sorcerous drugs, used by witches to be buried under that place, to the destroying of marriage-amity, or the power of generation. See Alexand, in Genialib, and Christ. Landus upon Catul.

For this, looke Fest. in Voc. Rapi.

Then, coyne them, twixt your lips so sweet,

And let not cockles closer meet;

Nor may your murmuring Loves

Be drown'd by Cypris' doves:
Let ivy not so bind

As when your armes are twin'd:
That you may both, e're day,
Rise perfect every way.

And Juno, whose great powers protect
The marriage bed, with good effect
The labour of this night
Blesse thou, for future light:

And, thou, thy happy charge,
Glad Genius, enlarge;

That they may both, e're day,
Rise perfect every way.

And Venus, thou, with timely seed

(Which may their after comforts breed)
Informe the gentle wombe;
Nor, let it prove a tombe:
But, e're ten moones be wasted,
The birth, by Cynthia hasted.
So may they both, e're day,
Rise perfect every way.

And, when the babe to light is shown,
Let it be like each parent known;
Much of the father's face,
More of the mother's grace;
And either grandsire's spirit,
And fame let it inherit.

That men may blesse th' embraces,
That joyned to such races.

Cease, youths and virgins, you have done;
Shut fast the doore: and, as they soone
To their perfection hast,
So may their ardours last.
So either's strength out-live
All losse that age can give:

And, though full yeares be told,
Their formes grow slowly old.

LOVE, A LITTLE BOY.

FROM THE

MASQUE ON LORD HADDINGTON'S MARRIAGE,

FIRST GRACE.

BEAUTIES, have ye seen this toy,
Called Love, a little boy,
Almost naked, wanton, blind,
Cruell now; and then as kind ?

If he be amongst ye, say;
He is Venus' run-away.

SECOND GRACE.

She, that will but now discover
Where the winged wag doth hover,
Shall, to night, receive a kisse,
How, or where her selfe would wish:
But, who brings him to his mother,
Shall have that kisse, and another.

THIRD GRACE.

H' hath of markes about him plenty:
You shall know him among twenty.
All his body is a fire,

And his breath a flame entire,
That being shot, like lightning, in,
Wounds the heart, but not the skin.

FIRST GRACE.

At his sight, the Sun hath turned,
Neptune in the waters, burned;
Hell hath felt a greater heat:
Jove himselfe forsook his seat:
From the center, to the skie,
Are his trophæes reared hie.

SECOND GRACE.

Wings he hath, which though yee clip,
He will leape from lip to lip,
Over liver, lights, and heart,
But not stay in any part;
And, if chance his arrow misses,
He will shoot himselfe, in kisses.

THIRD GRace.

He doth beare a golden bow,
And a quiver, hanging low,
Full of arrows, that out-brave
Dian's shafts: where, if he have
Any head more sharp than other,
With that first he strikes his mother.

FIRST GRACE.

Still the fairest are his fuell.
When his dayes are to be cruell,
Lovers' hearts are all his food;

And his bathes their warmest blood:
Nought but wounds his hand doth season;
And he hates none like to Reason.

SECOND GRACE.

Trust him not: his words, though sweet,
Seldome with his heart do meet.
All his practice is deceit;
Every gift it is a bait ;

Not a kisse, but poyson beares;
And most treason in his teares.

THIRD GRACE.

Idle minutes are his raigne;
Then, the straggler makes his gaine,
By presenting maids with toyes,
And would have ye think 'hem joyes:
'Tis the ambition of the elfe,
To 'have all childish, as himselfe.

FIRST GRACE.

If by these ye please to know him, Beauties, be not nice, but show him.

SECOND GRACE.

Though ye had a will, to hide him, Now, we hope, ye'le not abide him.

THIRD GRACE.

Since ye heare his falser play; And that he is Venus' run-away.

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